Minutes of the Leith Harbour and Newhaven Community Council meeting, held at the Leith Community Education Centre on Tuesday 24 September 2019 at 7pm

Actions and decisions are red italic. Nem con means that no-one spoke or voted against an item.

1 Introductions and apologies for absence

The chair noted that this was either the last meeting of the current CC membership (if no contest for 2019 elections was necessary) or penultimate meeting (if an election is necessary)

1.a Present

Stewart Auld

LHNCC

Arthur Young

LHNCC

Colin Brown

LHNCC

Bruce Ryan

Minutes secretary

Rob Levick

LHNCC chair

PC Chris Casselden

Police Scotland

Don Giles

LHNCC

PC Chris Smith

Police Scotland

Jennifer Marlborough

LHNCC secretary

Cllr Chas Booth

Leith ward

Douglas Tharby

LHNCC treasurer

1.b Apologies

Elaine Dick

LHNCC vicechair

Cllr Adam McVey

Leith ward

Deidre Brock MP

Edinburgh North & Leith

Cllr Gordon Munro

Leith ward

2 Minutes of previous meeting

Approved without changes (proposed S Auld, seconded D Tharby,nem con)

2.a Matters arising

Item 5: SOSLeith had presented draft letters for LHNCC to endorse. J Marlborough noted that she was prepared to write a general letter in support of needs for management of the basins, but not to endorse the wording in SOSLeith’s drafts. The chair concurred. Action: JM to write such a letter to CEC (cc to Jim Jarvie and land-owners)

A flyer about a public meeting is due to be published.

3 Police report

PCs Casselden and Smith reported

Police had a stall at Ocean Terminal, shared with Police Scotland youth volunteers.

Police took part in the Hindu Mandir procession for Ganesh. They will also take part in the King St Mosque procession.

There was a ‘999 day’ in Princes St Gardens to raise awareness of the emergency services.

Police took part in a suicide prevention stall at Ocean Terminal, focussing on getting people to ask ‘is all OK?’ when relevant. This was part of an all-Edinburgh campaign.

Police were involved in the youth-climate march.

Police visited the RAF cadets

There were drugs stops in Annfield and Ocean Terminal.

Police were called to Asda to deal with an incident of indecent exposure. A male was arrested.

The Leith police open day on is on Sunday 29 September, 10am to 4pm.

There will be a police surgery at Ocean Terminal on 19 October.

With the Special Constables coordinator, police are considering running more high-visibility patrols at Ocean Terminal etc.

Police will attend other events in the area (Leith Theatre, biscuit factory), to make sure of building security.

There was discussion of why police seem to patrol less than previously on Leith Walk. This may be due to response officers using cars, and having very little respite between calls.

4 Reports: Secretary and Treasurer

4.a Treasurer

LHNCC’s current balance is £1268·95. All cheques issued have been presented so handover to the next CC should be smooth.

4.b Secretary

LeithChooses launch event is on 1 October at 6:30. Volunteers are sought.

LeithChooses is also seeks help at the voting event in February. This is earlier because awards must be issued by 31 March.

5 Councillors’, MSP’s, MP’s report(s)

5.a Cllr Booth

The Transport and Environment Committee (TEC) agreed to consult on extending controlled parking zones (CPZs). Most of Leith Central would become a CPZ. Western harbour would receive further monitoring. Newhaven would have an extended CPZ. This is because apparently people are treating Leith as a park-and-ride (P&R). Feedback suggests that extended CPZs are welcome, so long as detail is got right. TEC is looking for evidence of where P&R traffic comes from.

CEC has committed to widen footways and cycle paths along Leith Walk, but there is not enough space, so CEC is looking for active travel routes from the Foot of the Walk to Ocean Terminal. CEC has data on trip-generators but needs to know what other active travel routes are in the area, and what is due to affect them. CB has asked for LHNCC to be included in such discussions. Priorities have been decided but detailed designs are not yet made.

No detail has yet emerged about CEC’s budget process. It is expected in the next month or so.

6.b S1 Skyliner

This application is going to CEC’s Development Management Subcommittee tomorrow. It has been recommended for approval. Thee are concerns about the increased number of apartments (from 245 to 328) while still only 83 will be ‘affordable’, but these will be distributed across the site. . There are also concerns about the heights and ugliness of the development (up to 14 storeys). The proposed heights contravene new CEC guidance because nearby buildings except Ocean Point are 6 or 7 storeys.

6.c Western harbour housing development and park

These are is recommended for approval, but only 1/3 of the originally planned park are now to be built.

7 CCTT (Community Councils Together on Trams)

This met on 29 August. LHNCC is waiting on a report of that meeting. (B Ryan was not available to minute this meeting.) R Levick noted that CEC’s head of waste (Gavin Barwell) came across very well. This is nearly the end of the Early Contractor Involvement period. Construction should start in October. A box-junction and entrance have been added to the start of Ocean Drive.

Customs House now has an opportunity for funding, so this event was brainstorming on what can be fitted into it. These must be community items. A heritage centre is among the proposals. Customs House will be one of the doors-open attractions.

Cllr Booth noted that this was agreed in principle a while ago. A pilot project in the Meadows and Morningside had large on-street rentable bike lockers. There is now agreement principle to roll out this plan. Hence CEC is consulting on locations and where. Proposed locations (Sherriff Brae, Prince Regent St, Links Place, Albert St, Lorne St) are based on what is known about demand from an initial consultation.

10 CEC Edinburgh Partnership reports

10.a Neighbourhood Networks update

D Tharby reported that the Leith Neighbourhood Network met on 4 September at McDonald Rd library. 17 organisations attended, but 26 organisations had attended the initial meeting. This fall-off may have been due to short notice of the meeting. D Tharby will try give more notice of the next meeting, likely to be held in November. Highlights from the LeithChooses table include getting more young people involved, and getting more partnerships between organisations. The YouthTalk table asked for funding to focus on young peoples’ aspirations, e.g. access to facilities and weekend activities, and to focus on parks, exercise, alcohol and online safety. D Tharby intends to ensure real progress

10.b Locality Community Planning Partnership

D Tharby reported that this will meet on Monday 30 September (10am). It will cover LCPP’s terms of reference, will elect its chair and vicechair, and will review progress on the locality plan. The other CC representative on LCPP is Geoff Pearson (Northfield CC).

There has been a serious sewage leak into the Water of Leith. FOWLB is pushing SEPA to prosecute over a frequently-broken sewer in the Seafield area.

LHNCC thanked Rob Levick for his work as chair over the past 2 years, and wish him all the best for the future. (Rob is not seeking re-election to LHNCC.) Rob thanked the others who had contributed to LHNCC’s work and success during his chairship, especially those residents who had worked with LHNCC.